Deputy US Ambassador Richard Mills warned the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday that Iran’s Lebanese proxy, the Hezbollah terrorist organization, is amassing weapons on Israel’s northern border.
His testimony came after the UNSC voted to extend by one year the mandate of the UNIFIL peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, demanding the relevant parties guarantee freedom of movement for the force and “cease any restrictions and hindrances to the movement of its personnel.”
Resolution 2650 (2022) also reiterates the UNSC position that the official Lebanese Army should be the country’s sole armed force. The Council condemned all violations of the Blue Line and called on all parties to respect the cessation of hostilities, prevent any such violations and cooperate fully with the United Nations and UNIFIL. The resolution also called on all States to fully support and respect the establishment — between the Blue Line and the Litani River — of an area free of any armed personnel, assets and weapons other than those of the Government or UNIFIL.
A new paragraph was added that states the UNSC “condemns the continued maintenance of arms outside the control of the Lebanese State by armed groups in violation of resolution 1701 (2006).” The resolution also “recalls paragraph 15 of resolution 1701 (2006) according to which all States shall take the necessary measures to prevent, by their nationals or from their territories or using flag vessels or aircraft, the sale or supply of arms and related materiel to any entity or individual in Lebanon other than those authorized by the Government of Lebanon or UNIFIL.”
While the UNSC was meeting on UNIFIL, however, Lebanon’s culture and energy ministers were filmed symbolically hurling rocks across the border at Israel.
“The US shares this Council’s significant concern about the state of affairs in southern Lebanon – in particular, Hezbollah’s threatening activities,” Mills said, noting that Resolution 2650 “reaffirms UNIFIL’s authority to operate independently and to conduct both announced and unannounced patrols.”
None of those words reflect the reality in southern Lebanon.
The Hezbollah terrorist group long ago infiltrated the weak Lebanese government, which has never dared suggest disarming the powerful Iranian proxy.
UNIFIL soldiers simply avoid areas in which they could easily find themselves in danger from the Hezbollah militia – a heavily armed force supplied, trained, and generously supported by Tehran.
“UNIFIL peacekeepers are blocked with increasing frequency from conducting their mandated tasks and accessing sites of concern,” Mills noted.
Hezbollah has also planted outpost structures all along the Blue Line – the international border between Israel and Lebanon – which they claim belong to the “Green Without Borders” environmental group. The Israeli military debunked that claim months ago with photos showing the so-called “environmental observation” structures manned by Hezbollah terrorists.
“The proliferation of prefabricated containers placed by Green Without Borders obstructs UNIFIL’s access to the Blue Line and is heightening tension in the area, further demonstrating that this so-called environmental group is acting on Hezbollah’s behalf,” Mills pointed out.
The resolution renewing the UNIFIL mandate, he added, “has made clear that Hezbollah’s continued amassing of weapons must stop.”
